Just posted to the New Renaissance Arts Movement blog, a fascinating video about visual design in the local church by Betsey Steele Halstead, from a class she led for Sojourn Visual Arts. She shares several inspiring examples of design in churches. I’m always looking for ways to improve the stage and sanctuary design of our church and this talk gave … Read More
Although not exactly “The best of times and the worst of times”, 2011 was a bit of a personal rollercoaster ride. I touched on some of the year’s difficulties in the last post, but before January slips away I want to recap the positive highlights. And there were many. There were exciting opportunities to carry the Finding Divine Inspiration and … Read More
The first thing I noticed when I walked out of the airport in Boise, Idaho was an unusual sweet scent in the air, kind of like marshmallows and flowers. My hosts didn’t smell it so I wondered if it was my imagination or maybe the hand soap I used in Salt Lake City. Either way, I like being greeted by a nice scent in a new … Read More
Last summer an artist friend forwarded a link for a creative conference in Asheville, NC called the Gathering of Artisans. Now, I love the mountainous, artsy area around Asheville (including the Biltmore, which my family visited several years ago as the leaves were turning) so the location already had me hooked. And the conference looked wonderful; many accomplished artists and speakers getting together in a beautiful setting … Read More
By J. Scott McElroy and Jessie Nilo Just imagine if the local church became the place in culture to experience beauty, creativity, and transcendence. Hundreds of years ago churches were, in many ways, centers for these experiences. Somehow, over time we’ve abdicated that role. Now, many churches are moving in that direction again and there’s a growing desire to begin … Read More